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Like clockwork, a brand new iPhone has made its approach by means of the rumor mill in August, and customers are starting to surprise if they need to purchase what’s at present obtainable or wait till fall to see how issues play out.
Based mostly on previous developments, there is a good probability Apple will unveil the iPhone 17 series subsequent Tuesday. So, do you have to choose up an iPhone 16 out of your native Apple retailer right now or play the lengthy (however not that lengthy) recreation?
Additionally: Apple iPhone 17 event live blog: The biggest announcements we’re expecting on Sept. 9
Having examined each major smartphone release over the previous a number of years and helped quite a few household and pals overcome this precise dilemma, here is the choice tree I exploit that works each single time.
1. Do you want a brand new telephone proper now?
Fairly easy, proper? When you’re at present utilizing a handset that is severely broken or defected in a approach that stops it from finishing your day by day duties, then it is time to purchase a brand new telephone proper now.
I’ve had pals say that they’d be keen to energy by means of one other month with a closely cracked iPhone if it meant they might simply purchase the next-generation mannequin. Nonetheless, that does not think about the truth that Apple sometimes sells its latest iPhones weeks (if not longer) after they’re formally unveiled to the general public.
Additionally: You can download iOS 26 public beta right now – how to install (and which iPhones support it)
So, what’s anticipated to be per week’s wait time can simply turn out to be a month or extra, relying on which configuration and mannequin you purchase. That is to say, in the event you want a brand new telephone right now, do not wait — purchase one ASAP.
2. How a lot are you seeking to spend?
Each new iPhone launch has a giant unknown: pricing. So, your present (and anticipated) price range also needs to be thought-about as you resolve which mannequin to purchase. Apple’s executed a commendable job stabilizing iPhone costs over time, with the bottom mannequin sometimes beginning at $799, the Professional at $999, and the Professional Max at $1,199, so most individuals would assume the iPhone 17 collection will value about the identical.
However there are a number of extra variables factoring into this 12 months’s iPhone launch. First, Apple is anticipated to launch a brand new iPhone 17 Air (or Slim) mannequin that contains a thinner and lighter design than the usual variant. If it follows Samsung’s value technique with its ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge, we might be taking a look at an iPhone that is priced just under the Professional fashions.
Additionally: Should you buy a refurbished iPhone 15 from Apple? Only if these factors matter to you
Ongoing tariff and commerce talks have additionally led market analysts to consider that Apple will elevate the worth of iPhones beginning this September. In keeping with Jefferies analyst Edison Lee, the iPhone 17 Air, Professional, and Professional Max may even see a $50 value enhance, or a 4-5% bump from final 12 months, in an effort to offset the price of new parts and exports. Here is a snapshot comparability to the iPhone 16 collection.
iPhone 16 costs | iPhone 17 costs (anticipated) | |
Normal | $799 | $799 |
Air/Slim | – | $949 |
Professional | $999 | $1,049 |
Professional Max | $1,199 | $1,249 |
If the potential value enhance offers you pause, then it could make extra monetary sense to purchase an older iPhone mannequin just like the 16 or 15, and even the brand new however accessible iPhone 16e (starting at $599). Apple sometimes reduces the worth of the last-generation iPhone mannequin by $100 when a brand new one is launched, so there is a good probability you can purchase the iPhone 16 for as little as $699 later this month — do you have to select to attend issues out.
Additionally: How to clear your iPhone cache (and why you should do it before installing iOS 26 public beta)
Lastly, whereas carriers and retailers sometimes provide aggressive trade-in and buy-one-get-one offers when a brand new telephone is launched, these offers will not be with out their catches and high-quality print.
Most “free phone” gives by main carriers often are available in change for locking right into a long-term contract or upgrading to a pricier information plan. That is to not say that the offers aren’t price it; for the appropriate buyer, they will actually web you a brand new iPhone with out a lot additional work. Simply keep in mind to do your due diligence earlier than agreeing to something.
3. Do the rumored iPhone 17 options excite you?
Whereas none of those rumored options have been confirmed or made official by Apple, they offer us a glimpse of the subsequent iPhone’s potential. Here is a listing of anticipated adjustments this 12 months, pulled from business specialists, provide chain analysts, and extra.
- The iPhone 17 Air will function the thinnest and lightest design, with a brand new show measurement, a titanium body, and a revamped digital camera bar.
- Apple will possible substitute the iPhone 17 Plus with the iPhone 17 Air, as customers have proven the least curiosity within the former mannequin.
- The iPhone 17 could undertake a smaller “metalens” expertise that enables the Face ID sensor and Dynamic Island module to take up much less house on the show. This additionally permits Apple to shrink the telephone’s bezels and enhance the display measurement to six.3 inches.
- Solely the iPhone 17 Professional fashions may have a brand new scratch-resistant, antireflective show panel. Like Apple’s nanotexture choices for MacBooks and iPads, it could come at an additional value.
- The iPhone 17 Professional fashions will function a brand new 48-megapixel telephoto digital camera that may seize at 8x optical zoom (up from 5x).
Additionally: iPhone 17 Rumors: Latest News and Leaks – CNET
The anticipated colour choices are:
- iPhone 17: Black, White, Metal Grey, Inexperienced, Purple, and Gentle Blue
- iPhone 17 Air: Black, White, Gentle Blue, and Gentle Gold
- iPhone 17 Professional: Black, White, Grey, Darkish Blue, and Orange
- iPhone 17 Professional Max: Black, White, Grey, Darkish Blue, and Orange
Backside line: Purchase now or wait?
When you want a brand new telephone instantly and can’t wait as much as a month, you should purchase an iPhone 16 (or different present mannequin) proper now. The iPhone 16’s present options, together with an A18 chip that may energy Apple Intelligence instruments, Motion Button, Digicam Management, and Wi-Fi 7 help, will stay related for years to return, so you are not lacking out on a lot by choosing final 12 months’s mannequin. There’s additionally a very good probability that you will discover a deal or value drop on the iPhone 16 right now.
Additionally: We tested iOS 26 on the iPhone 16 Pro – these 5 features make the update worthwhile
When you’re in much less of a rush, wait till subsequent Tuesday to see what Apple has to supply with the iPhone 17 collection. Maybe the iPhone 17 Aiir/Slim mannequin will attraction to you greater than anticipated, or Apple introduces a digital camera function that solves one in every of your greatest ache factors. Simply be ready for something to occur, together with a better value throughout the board — or none in any respect.
